Vintage advertisement. 1958
The Skinner family operated a dairy farm on a portion of their vast land holdings in northeast Florida beginning in the early 1950s. During the late 50s the growing influence of grocery stores made it more difficult for small, independent dairies to remain financially solvent. Therefore the decision was made to adapt the business by building small freestanding "milk houses" in residential neighborhoods. These stores offered milk and other dairy products and were ideally suited to replace the declining service of milk home delivery. The first store was built in 1958 and the chain eventually peaked in 1985 with a total of 21 stores spread out throughout north Florida (19 in Jacksonville and 2 in St. Augustine 40 miles to the south).
Casset Ave. store, c. 1958
Design
Created by the architectural firm of Hardwick & Lee, the Skinner's Milk Houses were thoughtfully designed and visually interesting structures that would eventually become an iconic presence throughout the greater Jacksonville area. Under their pitched "butterfly" roofs each identical store was painted orange and white, incorporated a drive-through feature that could be approached from 2 sides, and made use of aluminum sliding glass doors which were cutting edge and only recently made available commercially.
Final years
The Skinner Dairy management transitioned to a new generation in the mid 1980's. Under that new management a second wave of Milk House construction began in 1986. However for unknown reasons the modernist Hardwick & Lee design was jettisoned for a new design (architect unknown) which could best be described as pedestrian and forgettable. The location and quantities of the second series is not known with any certainty, but it is estimated that somewhere between one and two dozen were built from 1986-95.
The relatively short lifespan of the second series combined with their bland appearance occasionally leads to locals misremembering these stores as having been built in the manner of the earlier Hardwick & Lee design.
The dairy was sold to the Suzia Foods Corporation in January 1996. The land that constituted the dairy headquarters and farm was a sizable piece of property located off of Bowden Rd. on the city's south side. No evidence of the Dairy farm has survived to the present day as the land was redeveloped in 2000 as an office park known as "The Silos", a reference to the land's previous appearance and function. Yet what has endured the rapid population growth and environmental changes of the last 20 years are the iconic Skinner Dairy "Milk Houses".
Legacy
Today the Skinner Dairy stores exist in northeast Florida as a curious and visually delightful link to the economic and social history of the region. As of December 2007, 16 of the original 21 stores still exist in one form or another, most with their distinctive roofs intact. As a testament to the enduring appeal of the structures and their form, the remaining Skinner Dairy stores have proven adaptable for a variety of independent businesses. A survey of current tenants include several drive-thru restaurants and sandwich shops, car wash and detailing services, check cashing, a florist, a dry-cleaner, a coffee shop, golf instruction, and pickup-truck bed-liners. Some successful adaptations require building additions which only on rare occasions are the structures aesthetics thoughtfully considered. 5 are presently in such a state that could be described as (or close to) original:
Store #16 in 2007
Store #3 in 2007
Store #6 in 2007
Store locations and present condition
All locations are in Jacksonville, FL, except for #8, #17, and #18.
1. 1958 Edgewood Ave. (occupied by Jerome Brown BBQ)
2. 1958 Casset Ave.
3. 1958 Arlington Blvd.
4. 1958 Springpark Rd.
5. 1959 Ortega Blvd. (moved in 1980) (Torn down c. 1992. Presently used for car wash parking lot)
6. 1959 St. Johns Ave.
7. 1960 Pearl St.
8. 1962 Jacksonville Beach
9. 1962 McDuff Ave. (Torn down c. 1990. Bought by high school for parking lot.)
10. 1962 Dunn Ave.
11. 1963 Shirly Ave.
12. 1963 Bowden Rd. (occupied by a drive thru coffee shop)
13. 1965 San Juan Ave.
14. 1965 Pearl St. (moved in 1983 to Old St. Augustine Rd.) (Gutted and rebuilt c. 2000. While some elements remain deep within the interior, exterior is completely unrecognizable.)
15. 1968 Melson Ave.
16. 1968 Arlington Ave. (Torn down July 2007. Presently used for parking Yachts and a mobile billboard.)
17. 1970 St. Augustine
18. 1970 St. Augustine (Anastasia Island)
19. 1972 Merrill Rd.
20. 1972 Ricker Rd. (Abandoned. Roof missing.)
21. 1984 Pall Mall Dr. (Torn down c. 1992. Presently a parking lot behind a restaurant.)
References
1. ^ Patton, Charlie (2000-11-23). Piney woods miracle. The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
2. ^ Significant Work. TaylorHardwick.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
3. ^ Suiza Foods Corporation. Answers.com. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
4. ^ Barton, Susanna (2000-11-17). Got Land?. Jacksonville Business Journal. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
5. ^ Calnan, Christopher (2002-11-25). All fired up. The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
6. ^ {{cite web | url = http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1297325664
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billy
September 21, 2009, 04:24:09 PMWasn't there one on Parental Home Road?
stephendare
September 21, 2009, 04:29:45 PMI dont remember there being on on Parental Home....maybe the one on Ricker Road.
Jonathan is not only a brilliant local painter with a couple of shows at the museum under his belt, but he is also very fond of Taylor. Its possible that there were a few that Taylor missed as he is getting on in years and has had the bitter experience of seeing so much of his work destroyed by the redevelopment dynamiters.
JaxNative68
September 21, 2009, 04:30:58 PMI remember buying milk from these stores with my parents as a child. I loved the structures. Later in life, I remember a few of these stores (Merril Road being the most known) as being the known place to score beer under age. Fond memories of my youth. Thanks MJ.
billy
September 21, 2009, 04:38:40 PMI think it's the Bowden Road (#12), if that is the NW corner of Bowden Road and Parental Home Road.
My childhood doc's office, my high school, the library I went to (second only to San Marco) and my late Uncle's insurance company office in Riverside were all designed by Mr. Hardwick.
vicupstate
September 21, 2009, 04:54:48 PMI guess what goes around comes around.
Hardwick's designs are the shag carpet of Architecture if you ask me. The buildings that were lost to build his gimmicky designs were far better, IMO. The old Courthouse that was demolished to build the "Brady Bunch" Public Library, circa 1965, being at the top of such a list.
If Jax isn't going to lift a finger to save Klutho's work, then I sure as hell can't see saving Hardwick's.
stephendare
September 21, 2009, 04:59:59 PMExcept that Hardwick didnt choose the locations for his buildings. You can blame Mayor Burns for that.
I love his work, and he designed the architectural symbols of jacksonville that represent to three generations of us.
In time, provided that his stuff isnt all destroyed, he will be as important as Klutho, if only because of his work in composites. I adore his funky designs, and I kind of like that brady bunch era of experimentation and color.
Its not fair to be angry at one building on behalf of another.
hooplady
September 21, 2009, 05:59:38 PMDog Walker
September 22, 2009, 02:54:41 PMWhere St. John's Ave and Herschel Streets come together there is a drive-up florists that looks like it might have been one of the Skinners dairy stores. It's in front of the Goal Post Sandwich shop.
I can remember my mother being upset that Skinners was discontinuing home delivery and that she would have to drive somewhere to get milk. An outrage!
stjr
September 22, 2009, 10:14:29 PMYes, this is correct. We use to stop there for milk or ice cream on the way back from the beach or Patti's restaurant as this was the best route from the Lakewood/San Jose areas to that part of Beach Blvd. and points east. This outlet was directly across Bowden from the actual Skinners Dairy (now an office park/housing).
Below is Google Street View and Map:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=bowden+road,+jacksonville,+fl&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=46.946584,78.662109&ie=UTF8&t=h&layer=c&cbll=30.264189,-81.592673&panoid=EBwyE5DN07JiBKeEZLP2Mw&cbp=11,351.91,,0,5&ll=30.264189,-81.592672&spn=0.000709,0.002401&z=19
DavidWilliams
September 22, 2009, 11:17:31 PMWasn't there one at Blanding/Shirley? They were all drive-thru right. Perhaps, I need to go read the article before posting
DavidWilliams
September 22, 2009, 11:27:19 PMRight on. I definitely recognize the one on St Johns/Herschel I think it is a flower shop at present. Wow, brings back tons of memories. Was I able to get beer there in the 80's?
fsujax
September 24, 2009, 11:11:26 AMThere was one on at Stockton St and Ernest in Riverside...it is still there today.
Cliffs_Daughter
September 24, 2009, 12:12:32 PMI remember the one on Ricker Rd. I grew up on Proxima, so either mom would drive there or we could walk to get something. They are cool little buildings, I'll give them that.
copperfiend
September 24, 2009, 12:17:12 PMI remember the one on Ricker. I haven't been by there in quite some time.
sheclown
September 24, 2009, 02:07:48 PMIs the one located at Pearl and Tallulah one of the addresses listed above?
What funky cute little places they are!
billy
September 24, 2009, 02:10:44 PMHow much enclosed floor area in one those suckers?
stephendare
September 24, 2009, 02:37:24 PMWe had one down the block from our childhood home at the beaches. My papa and I were the only males in a house that also featured four women who entertained most of the church at the house on non church nights.
Going to Skinners to pick up milk and cigarettes was generally a sign that my grandfather needed a brief escape from all the estrogen and scripture. I always tagged along, because it was usually a great opportunity to get a yoohoo while we were at it.
The Skinner itself was a repository of all gossip, political and otherwise at the beaches, and its employees functioned as town criers.
buckethead
September 24, 2009, 06:54:27 PMYou are a Jackson villain!
DavidWilliams
September 24, 2009, 07:23:58 PMGoing to Skinners to pick up milk and cigarettes was generally a sign that my grandfather needed a brief escape from all the estrogen and scripture. I always tagged along, because it was usually a great opportunity to get a yoohoo while we were at it.
The Skinner itself was a repository of all gossip, political and otherwise at the beaches, and its employees functioned as town criers.
A true piece of Americana (specific to Jax). Did you get the honey bun or moon pie to go with the YooHoo? That's what my pop allowed me to purchase. Good memories.
stephendare
September 24, 2009, 07:41:51 PMmoon pies. (which were revolutionized by the advent of the microwave oven)
DavidWilliams
September 24, 2009, 07:46:37 PMIm many ways, a form of smore I suppose.
stephendare
September 24, 2009, 07:49:38 PMstephendare
September 24, 2009, 07:52:53 PMhttp://www.moonpie.com/
DavidWilliams
September 24, 2009, 08:10:24 PMSweet (no pun intended).
stephendare
September 25, 2009, 12:59:32 PMWow. I guess they tore the one at jax beach down and put in some stupid shell station.
sheclown
September 25, 2009, 03:29:02 PM'smore or less
choosing2disappear
September 28, 2009, 04:06:35 PMyes, but it was built in the mid 1980's in the second (bland, forgetable) style.
it was an empty roofless shell in 2004. I'ts gone now, either, bulldozed or build into a new, larger structure.
What funky cute little places they are!
no, it still stands. Caddyshack. Golf lessons. That one i nicknamed "the drag queen" due to the unsympathetic modifications.
[/quote]
stephendare
September 21, 2009, 04:29:45 PM
I dont remember there being on on Parental Home....maybe the one on Ricker Road.
Jonathan is not only a brilliant local painter with a couple of shows at the museum under his belt, but he is also very fond of Taylor. Its possible that there were a few that Taylor missed as he is getting on in years and has had the bitter experience of seeing so much of his work destroyed by the redevelopment dynamiters.
[/quote]
no, none were missed. a few points: Firstly, 2 stores were moved, and thus existed at two different locations, at differnt points in time (#5, & #14). Ironically both of these were later demoilshed (again).
Also, the list of store locations, did not come from Taylor, as Taylor reffered me to Cody Skinner (former VP, died last month, at 94). His memory, was soild, with a few missing locations, which were rediscovered in 2004. There are no missing stores. There ARE as many as two dozen stores build in the second style that folks very often misremeber as being of the Hardwick style. Last Original store was build in Mandarin in 1985. (it was actually somewhat elongated however, but I digress. Still counts.).
JaxNative68
October 05, 2009, 06:22:43 PMnow they make the mini moon pies, also great in the microwave, but not as good as the old fashioned ones. I think they are skimping on the marshmallow fluff ingredients - don't quite puff up like they used to.
YellowBluffRoad
October 10, 2009, 11:14:18 AMWas there one in the 8000 block of Old Kings Road S. back in the 70s?
stjr
October 10, 2009, 11:47:38 AMBased on my memory only, I think you are correct.
aubureck
October 14, 2009, 08:54:43 AMMaybe someone should write a letter to the Jacksonville Historic Preservation Commission requesting the Commission look into considering the remaining Skinner Dairies as locally-designated landmarks.
RMHoward
October 14, 2009, 07:47:01 PMGreat story. I moved here 4 years ago and have often thought it would be cool to catalogue all of the dairies. My husband grew up here and remembers driving through for milk with his Mom while his Dad was serving in Vietnam.
roninvirginia
Yesterday at 12:44:13 PMThe milk store at the point between Herschel St. and St. Johns Ave. was at a major crossroads for the community. Across the street on the St Johns Ave. side was the iconic Pennyburger's. This was the gathering point for the R.E. Lee high school crowd. Sort of an imitation Krystal, same menu.
On the other side, Herschel St., is/was Fishweir Elementary school.
I would go to the milk store for a chocolate mild and a honey bun. Now there was a major sugar high!!!